Released February 12, 1981 Length 4:25 Writer(s) Geddy Lee, Neil Peart | Recorded 1980 Label Mercury | |
Genre Instrumental rock, progressive rock, hard rock | ||
"YYZ" is an instrumental rock piece by Canadian rock band Rush, from their 1981 album Moving Pictures. It is one of the band's most popular pieces and a staple of the band's live performances. The live album Exit...Stage Left (1981) and the concert video recording A Show of Hands (1989) both include versions in which Neil Peart incorporates a drum solo; as an interlude on the former, and as a segue out of the piece on the latter.
Contents
Title and composition
YYZ is the IATA airport identification code of Toronto Pearson International Airport, near Rush's hometown. The band was introduced to the rhythm as Alex Lifeson flew them into the airport. A VHF omnidirectional range system at the airport broadcasts the YYZ identifier code in Morse code. Peart said in interviews later that the rhythm stuck with them. Peart and Geddy Lee have both said "It's always a happy day when YYZ appears on our luggage tags."
The piece's introduction, played in a time signature of 5
4, repeatedly renders "Y-Y-Z" in Morse Code using various musical arrangements.
Awards and nominations
"YYZ" was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock Instrumental category in 1982. It lost to "Behind My Camel" by The Police, from their album Zenyatta Mondatta.
Performances by other artists
"YYZ" has been covered in whole or in part by:
Lee and Lifeson performed "YYZ" with Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins during a Foo Fighters concert at Toronto's Air Canada Centre on March 22, 2008, switching songs midway through "Stacked Actors". In October 2008, Peart performed it with the Buddy Rich Big Band alongside bassist Jeff Berlin as part of the ongoing Buddy Rich Memorial Scholarship Concert series.